Buying a dash camera for your car requires you to get into a completely different mindset from buying a traditional camera. Though both a video camera (or the camera in your cell phone for that matter) and a dash cam both record high resolution video, the similarities end there – they're designed for two completely different purposes, and they should be treated as such.

Features to look for:

Because your goal is to capture as much detail as possible, you want to spring for a model that records in 1080p high definition. Though 720p models exist and can save you money, this is one area you do NOT want to skimp on.

Next, you should focus on a dash cam's storage capacity. As a rule of thumb, you want to buy one with as many GBs (gigabytes) of storage as you can afford so as to store the highest quality video for the longest amount of time. Most dash cam models use SD flash cards for storage, so you can also buy a couple of spare cards to store in your car and switch them out as needed.

Other features you want to at least consider include GPS functionality, which can help augment your video footage with detailed information such as speed, location and more. GPS functionality is particularly helpful if you ever need to use your dash cam footage in court after a car accident.

You also want to pick a unit with a size that fits comfortably in the car you drive. If you drive a large car with a big windshield, you can naturally get away with a model that is physically large itself. If windshield real estate is at a premium in your smaller car, you need to purchase a unit with a much smaller body size.